What To Put On Skin After Microneedling: 10 Best Products

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What To Use After Microneedling

After a procedure like microneedling, you need to make sure that you are using products that will promote healing and promote the best results. Using products that will heal the skin, keep skin hydrated and promote collagen and elastin production are key to getting the most out of your treatment. If you’re wondering what to put on skin after microneedling, keep on reading for the best tips and products.

What Is Microneedling

Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, uses a microneedling tool that has tiny needles that prick the skin. These tiny wounds cause an inflammatory response which stimulates fibroblasts, collagen and elastin production.

This helps to smooth skin texture, firm and tighten skin as well as help with fine lines, wrinkles and even atrophic acne scarring. It can also help reduce pore size, fade hyperpigmentation and even out the skin tone.

Microneedling has become one of the most popular skincare treatments on the market because of its incredible results and minimal downtime. The healing process is generally just some slight redness which usually goes away in 12-24 hours.

Benefits Of Microneedling

Microneedling can have a ton of benefits for the skin, but to really get the most out of your treatment, you need to use proper aftercare and high quality products while your skin is healing.

• Stimulates collagen
• Stimulates elastin
• Speeds up wound healing
• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
• Reduces pore size
• Tightens skin
• Firms skin
• Fades hyperpigmentation
• Treats atrophic acne scarring
• Fades stretch marks

Microneedling Aftercare

In general, when caring for your skin after microneedling, you want to be as gentle as possible. That means using a gentle cleanser (I like this one) that’s free of sulfates, fragrance and other harsh ingredients.

Once your skin starts to feel more back to normal, you can continue with your usual skincare routine. For most people, they can usually go back to using their normal products within 72 hours post procedure.

Fore more information about how to care for your skin, check out my post on microneedling aftercare.

What To Put On Skin After Microneedling

Whether you’re doing at home microneedling or in-office, there are precautions to take when caring for your skin after your procedure you’re probably wondering what to use after microneedling. If your provider gives you specific instructions or products, it’s best to stick with those. If you’re wondering what to put on skin after microneedling at home, below are some of the best products to use after microneedling. You can also use these products if you are derma-rolling at home.

Here are the do’s and don’ts after microneedling.

What To Put On Skin Immediately After Microneedling

If you’re wanting to do some microneedling at home or with a professional, you’re probably wondering what is the best thing to use after microneedling? There are some general rules to follow to keep your skin healthy and clean while it heals, so keep reading for the best tips for post microneedling care.

Right after your microneedling treatment, it’s important to make sure you are only touching your face with clean hands to avoid infection. The microchannels, or “pricks,” will stay open for about 4-24 hours (depending on the needle length), so during this time you want to only use products that will help heal the skin and avoid anything potentially irritating. This is why many people wonder should you apply anything after microneedling at home? Because of these microchannels in the skin, your skin is more susceptible to infection, so it’s extremely important to use good products and apply with clean hands.

Additionally, anything you put on the skin after microneedling will be able to penetrate deeper Into the skin, which isn’t always a good thing, depending on the product.

Ideally you want to use something simple like a pure hyaluronic acid, peptide or growth factor serum immediately following the procedure. These are gentle on the skin and have incredible benefits that will not only help speed up healing, but generate more collagen and elastin production for even better results.

Below I will recommend some of the best products to use after microneedling to enhance your results and speed up healing.

What To Put On Skin After Microneedling (24 hours and beyond)

After the 24 hours is up, you can use some other ingredients to stimulate the most amount of collagen production and help speed up healing. I will also recommend some of the best products to use after microneedling later on.

It will also depend on how your skin heals after the procedure. It’s common to experience raised bumps or itchy skin after microneedling, so this can help determine what’s best to use on your skin to help with healing.

Raised bumps and itchy skin can be annoying, but it’s very common and can be treated with a gentle cleanser, pure hyaluronic acid and a good moisturize to calm the skin and reduce itching.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid after microneedling is one of the best things you can use post procedure. It’s naturally found in the body, so you don’t have to worry about any kind of irritation or reaction. A good hylauronic acid serum will help reduce inflammation, calm redness and stimulate fibroblast, collagen and elastin production while keeping the skin hydrated post-treatment.

Many in-office procedures will actually use a hyaluronic acid serum during the procedure to help the tool glide over the skin and avoid any cuts or scrapes from the needles.

If you’re wondering how often do I apply hyaluronic acid after microneedling, you at least want to apply it morning and night but you can apply it as often as needed. If your skin is feeling rough, dry or tight, then apply some more hyaluronic acid to help keep the skin hydrated so it can heal quicker.

Peptides

Peptides are amino acids that are the building blocks for certain proteins found in the skin. For example, collagen is a large protein that’s made up of several polypeptide chains. Adding peptides into your skincare routine can help stimulate collagen production.

There are many different types of peptides and each one can have its own benefits for function for the skin. In general, peptides can help tighten the skin, fades hyperpigmentation and reduce fine lines and wrinkles by stimulating collagen production, elastin production and promote wound healing and tissue repair.

The wound healing aspect of peptides means that they are great to use after microneedling as it can help speed up healing and reduce any downtime like redness or swelling.

Growth Factors

If you want to get serious about anti-aging, growth factors are one of the best things you can use not only in your skincare routine, but after your microneedling treatment.

Growth factors, usually proteins or polypeptides, are naturally produced by our bodies, but when used topically, they can stimulate cell proliferation, tissue growth, cell growth and tissue repair. This helps to stimulate things like collagen and elastin production, new blood vessel formation, and epithelial cell growth.

Growth factors can smooth skin texture, fade hyperpigmentation, tighten skin and reduce sagging, fine lines and wrinkles.

One study showed that using a growth factor serum during and after treatment significantly reduced fine lines and wrinkles and helped with skin texture.

Retinoids

Retinoids should be avoided for at least 48 hours post microneedling procedure. Retinoids can be very irritating and can result in longer healing times if used too soon. That said, retinoids are incredible at stimulating collagen and can really help boost the results of your microneedling treatment. Just be sure you are using them correctly.

Retinoids are the gold standard and FDA approved for anti-aging and acne. What makes them so great? Retinoids target many pathways involved in tissue regeneration, wound healing, collagen and elastin stimulation and so much more.

Retinoids can help increase skin elasticity, thicken the skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, stimulate growth factors and even help decrease trans-epidermal water loss.

Vitamin C

If you have hyperpigmentation like acne scars or sunspots, Vitamin C is a great addition to your microneedling aftercare routine.

Vitamin C is an potent antioxidant that can help protect the skin from free-radical damage. Protection against any kind of environmental or UV damage is essential post microneedling procedure. Not only can it help protect and repair the skin, it also helps to stimulate collagen production which helps with anti-aging and texture. Vitamin C is also great for brightening and giving the skin a beautiful glow.

A study showed that using topical Vitamin C after microneedling helped to fade hyperpigmentation, increase skin firmness and smooth skin texture.

Be sure and check out my Drmtlgy Needle-less Serum Review for an in depth look at this serum.

Antioxidants

UV light is one of the biggest contributors to photoaging. When our skin is exposed to UV light, it becomes damaged from reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress. This process leads to premature aging like sagging skin, lines and wrinkles.

That’s where antioxidants come into play. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and reactive oxygen species before they can cause cellular and skin damage.

While there are many different types of antioxidants, all of them can help protect, repair and prevent skin damage, and thus prevent premature aging. Since the skin is more susceptible to damage following microneedling treatments, it’s a good idea to use antioxidants following the procedure.

Sunscreen

Like antioxdiants, sunscreen can help protect the skin from damage from UV rays. Although they do so in different ways. Sunscreen actually blocks the UV rays.

Using a daily sunscreen can help prevent skin aging, damage and pigmentation. It’s especially important to use at least SPF 30 after your treatment and reapply every 2 hours.

Getting too much sun after the procedure can cause irreversible skin damage like pigmentation.

What Should I Put On My Face After Microneedling?

If you’re wondering what should you use after microneedling at home, it can be a little confusing because there are so many options. What you use on your skin can also depend on your skin type, skin concerns and goals.

What To Put On Skin After Microneedling For Wrinkles

To smooth and plump wrinkles, you’ll want to use products that stimulate collagen and elastin production.

• Peptides
• Growth Factors
• Antioxidants
• Hyaluronic Acid

After 5-7 days, you can use retinoids and vitamin c for even more collagen and elastin production.

What To Put On Skin After Microneedling For Acne Scars

For indented and atrophic acne scarring, you’ll want to stimulate collagen production to plump the skin and fill in those scars.

• Hyaluronic acid
• Peptides
• Growth Factors
• Antioxidants

After 5-7 days you can use vitamin c and retinoids to help stimulate even more collagen.

What To Put On Skin After Microneedling For Acne

You never want to microneedle over active acne, but if you’re acne prone, it’s best to stick with the basics after microneedling to avoid any breakouts. Stick with a pure hyaluronic acid serum and a gentle cleanser and moisturizer.

What Should I Avoid After Microneedling?

Wondering what should you not put on your skin after microneedling? There’s quite a few things you need to avoid after any kind of microneedleing or dermarolling.

Occlusives

Many people wonder if they can use Vaseline or Aquaphor after microneedling.

Occlusives like Vaseline, Aquaphor or any other ointment should not be used after microneedling procedures. It’s been shown that occlusives significantly delay skin barrier resealing, which can delay healing. If you use the slugging method regularly in your routine, give it at least a week before adding any occlusives back into your routine.

Oils

Oils can also be occlusive, so it’s important to avoid any oils while your skin healing. But after about a week, oils after microneedling can be super beneficial to moisturize and nourish the new skin and help to reduce and flaky skin or rough patches. Argan oil is one of the best oils to use after microneedling because it’s packed with antioxidants, fatty acids and nutrients to nourish and protect the skin.

Irritating Ingredients

Any kind of potentially irritating ingredients should be avoided after microneedling as they can cause damage and irritation which can delay healing. Ingredients like alcohols, fragrance, essential oils should be avoided (and you really shouldn’t be using these in your skincare routine anyway). Drying ingredients like sulfur, benzoyl peroxide and other exfoliating acids should be avoided as well.

Scrubs

It’s very important to not use any physical scrubs or even washcloths or cleansing brushes during the healing process. This can cause skin damage, delay healing and lead to hyperpigmentation if you scrub off the dead skin before its ready.

What To Put On Skin After Microneedling FAQ’s

If you still have questions about what to put on skin after microneedling at home or in office, check out these FAQ’s.

Should I wash my face after microneedling?

Immediately after microneedling, you may have some dried serum that was used during the procedure, as well as blood. This can be safely rinsed with lukewarm water, but it’s best to not cleanse the skin immediately following. If you did microneedling with prp, then you should not cleanse for at least 4 hours, but generally your provider will give you specific instructions.

Can I Use Moisturizer After Microneedling?

Immediately after microneedling, you should only use a serum like hyaluronic acid, growth factor or peptide serum (or a combination serum). You can add a gentle, basic moisturizer back in after 24 hours or use a post procedure moisturizer. This one is the best moisturizer after microneedling treatments.

A good moisturizer after microneedling can help to speed up healing, reduce redness and prevent flaking and peeling skin.

Related Post: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream Or Lotion?

Can I Use Vaseline After Microneedling?

No, you should not use Vaseline after microneedling. Vaseline is considered an occlusive and will create a barrier on the skin, which can impede healing.

Can I Use Niacinamide After Microneedling?

Sine nicinamide is such a popular skincare ingredient, many people wonder if niacinamide after microneedling or dermarolling is ok to use. Niacinamide should not be used immediately following the procedure, but you can safely add it back into your routine after about 72 hours, as long as your skin feels ok. If you still have redness and irritation, it’s best to wait until your skin heals more. Although Niacinamide is a great ingredient, it can be irritating.

Can I Use Hyaluronic Acid After Microneedling?

Aboslutely! A hyaluronic acid serum is one of the best products to use after microneedling to help stimulate collagen, hydrate skin and enhance results. Just be sure to use a pure hyaluronic acid serum without any additives. It needs to be 100% pure hyaluronic acid.

What Serum Is Best To Use With Microneedling?

Any kind of hyaluronic acid, peptide or growth factor serum is great to use with microneedling, as well as after the procedure to help speed up healing and get even better results. If you really want to go all out, try a serum with all 3 – HA, growth factors and peptides.

How To Remove Dead Skin After Microneedling?

As your skin heals, it may start to feel rough (like sandpaper) and will eventually start to flake. It is extremely important to NOT peel the skin or exfoliate it in any way. This can lead to damage and hyperpigmentation and delay healing. All you can safely do is to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized and the flaking skin will resolve in a few days.

How Do I Take Care Of My Skin After Microneedling?

Proper aftercare is one of the most important steps to ensuring you get good results after your microneedling session. With so many products and different aftercare instructions, it can be hard to decide what to put on your face after microneedling. Here are some tips for proper aftercare post microneedling.

Caring for skin after microneedling treatments isn’t too difficult. The biggest thing is to keep skin clean and only touch your skin with clean, freshly washed hands to avoid any infections.

As for products, stick with gentle, basic formulas for a few days post microneedling. This includes no makeup (if at all possible), a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser, a pure hyaluronic acid serum and a gentle moisturizer at the very least.

If you want to speed up healing and get even better results, you can throw in some peptides, antioxidants and growth factors to stimulate even more collagen production.

Once the skin heals after 5-7 days, you can incorporate other collagen stimulating products like retinoids and vitamin c.

What To Put On Skin After Microneedling: Wrap Up

After a microneedling session, you might be left wondering what should I do after microneedling for best results. After microneedling, it’s important to use quality products and keep the skin hydrated. And for best results, you want to be gentle with your skin, meaning using a gentle cleanser, and at the very least a good hyaluronic acid serum. I also recommend using peptides and growth factors if at all possible for best results to stimulate even more collagen and elastin production.

Wondering what to apply after microneedling can be a little tricky, especially if you’re new to skincare. After microneedling, avoid using any physical or chemical exfoliants like scrubs, retinol or salicylic acid. Stick to gentle products with no active ingredients, meaning a gentle cleanser, a pure hyaluronic acid serum and a repairing moisturizer at the very least. Ceramides, peptides and growth factors are incredible to use after microneedling to speed up healing and maximize results.

So if you’re wondering what should I put on my face after microneedling, you can’t go wrong with a good hyaluronic acid serum immediately after, retinol, growth factors, vitamin c and peptides can be used a few days afterwards to increase collagen production and maximize results.

Related To What To Put On Skin After Microneedling

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What To Put On Face After Microneedling At Home